Clutch and brake mechanism



April 6, 1948. G. E. JONES CLUTCH -AND BRAKE MECHANISM Filed Oct. 5, 1945 2 SheetS-Shet l.

FTW/5 April 6, 1948. s. EQ JONES CLUTCH AND BRAKE 4MECHANISM Fi1ed`0ct 5, 1945 fc4/.6.3. I

2 SheLets-Sheet 2 Arma/VD Patented Apr. 6, 1948 CLUTCH AND BRAKE MECHANISM George Edmund Jones, London, England Application Qctober 5, 1945, Serial No. 620,573

In Great Britain August 29, 1945 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved drive transmission unit, wherein a v-rope drive may be employed direct to the driving head of a driven machine, such unit being intended more particularly for use with power driven sewing machines, coil winding machines and the like, where relatively high rotational speeds are involved and where an essential requirement is the engagement and disengagement of the driving and driven clutch members shall approximate closely to an instantaneous operation.

According to the present invention, the` improved drive transmission unit comprises a driving clutch member rotatably mounted on a spindie and including a pulley whereby such clutch member is driven from a line shaft or the like, a sleeve axially movable upon the spindle carrying the driving clutch member, a driven clutch member rotatably mounted on such sleeve, and spaced from the driving clutch member, an operating lever fast upon such sleeve, and cam means between such sleeve, and a xedmember whereby movement of the operating lever eiTects rotational and axial movement of the sleeve to bring the clutch members into driving engagement. Brake means are provided upon a xed member` so as to be brought into contact with the driven clutch member simultaneouslyV with the disengagement thereof from the driving clutch member and removed from contact with such driven clutch member when the latter is brought into engagement with the driving clutch member.

The transmission unit of the invention is preferably carried upon a bracket adapted tobe secured to a sewing machine bench or the like, the driving clutch member and the. sleeve on which the driven clutch member is rotatable being rotatably mounted on a shaft secured in such bracket, .and the cam face or faces coacting with the cam face or faces provided on the sleeve being formed as part of such bracket. The bracket further may conveniently be constructed as the support for the brake means for the driven clutch member.

In accordance with the invention, the transmission unitis adjustably supported uspon the bracket so that the distance ftherefrom from the 2 Ibers in their idle positions, e. g., in order to take up wear on the clutch faces.`

The improved transmission unit is further of such construction as to enabl'e the use therewith of V-rope driving belts, extending from the line shaft to the transmission unit and from the latter direct to the driving head of the sewing machine or the like, thus obviating the disadvantages arising from the use of round belting with hook fasteners which must be employed with prior known transmission units for this purpose.

The invention may be carried into practice as shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein there is illustrated a drive transmission unit according to the invention supported on the under side of a sewing machine bench or the like. It is however to be understood that the illustrated embodiment of the invention is given by way of example, only, and that the improved drive transmission unit may be employed in any situation wh-ere a rapid engagement and disengagement of driven and driving clutch members is required together with a rapid and eflcient braking ci the driven member on disengagement of the clutch.

In` the said accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a side elevation in section of a drive transmission unit in accordance with the invention, mounted upon the lower face of a sewing machine bench.

Figure 2 is a plane view of such unit,`on the line II-II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end view on the line III-III of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a detail view in section showing the positions of the clutch members in their engaged positions.

Referring to the drawings, a main orA line shaft I is supported in suitable bearings 2, one only of which is shown in the drawings, upon the lower surface of a sewing machine or other bench 3. Bolted to the bench 3 is a lbracket II` secured to the bench 3 by means of bolts 5 passing through elongated slots 6 in the bracket and suitably positioned holes in the bench. A guideway 8 is formed in flange I extending vertically downwardly from the bracket 8, a carrier member 9 being vertically movable in such guideway, and being iixedly secured at any desired position therein by means of a bolt I0 passing through a slot II in the flange 'l and a hole in the carrier member 9.

The lower end I2 of the member 9 has an internally screw-threaded bore therein, in which is engaged the screw-threaded end of a stationary spindle I3. On the other end ofthe spindle I3 there is rotatably mounted on ball bearings I4 a pulley I5 connected by a V-belt I6 to a driving pulley I'I fast on the line shaft I. An axial extension I8 of the pulley I5 and of larger diameter forms the driving clutch member, and may be provided with a groove I9 for reception of a V- section driving belt.

The driven clutch member comprises a pulley 23 rotatably mounted on ball bearings 2| on a sleeve 22 axially movable upon the spindle I3. A spring 23" on the spindle I3 urges the sleeve 22 in a direction away from the pulley I5 and clutch member I3.

clutch member I8, and coacting cam faces 25 are formed on the end face of a hollow cylindrical extension 26 of the member I2. The inoperative position of the clutch members I8 andZ'isshown in Figure 1, where the clutch member 23 is held out of contact with the clutch member i3 -by the spring 23.

Anoperatinglever Z'IA fast upon the sleeve'22 is connected with suitableflinks 28 to a pedal (not shown) whereby thefoperator may engage the dri-vinggandthe driven clutch members against the pressureofV the-.spring 23.. Y

A friction lining '29',` e. gr.; of leather is secured in. a; recess in theiacefofV the drivenclutch member 22). directed towards the driving clutch member Iii.; such lining ZBrbeing brought into contact with'anzedge'face uon the dri-vingclutch mem ber I8. when thel sleeve 22.-is moved axially upon the.Y spindle l3l by the' cam faces 24 onthe end face thereofridinggupon the cam faces 25 on the sta tionarypartfESonthe member I2'- A; three-armed. lever 3|', 32, 38 is pvotally mounted atv 33r on `the upper end of the carrier member: 3', a, spring 3.4'acting between a Axed abutment. 35-'on-the member and the free end of the-arm .32 'of the'bellfcran'k lever urging a brakeblockgliiacarried en the iree end of the other arm 3lV of; such lever intov contact with a peripheral brake' surface.` 3l provided on the driven clutch member 231". A iinger 33 on the sleeve 22 engages the arm133 oi thethree-armed lever to rock the same against; the.; pressure. of the spring 3ft to bring the brake-blockV 3'3` away from the. surface 3l when. the.v lever 2.I is moved to engage the clutch members I 8 and 20.

The operation of the transmission unit is as follows: Y

The pulley Il on the line shaft i is rotating to drive thepulley I5l on thespindle i3, the pulley 2i) being at rest, and the sewing machine or the like,v indicated -at 49, driven through a pulley lli connectedto; the pulleyv 2li by a V-belt t2, is similarly not in operation, the pulley 23 being held by the; spring; 23 in a.. position where the friction lining 29-isroutof engagement with the surface 33 of the drivingpclutch member I 8.

Whenztheoperator presses upon a pedal or other'lever connected `by links 28 to the lever 21, the. lever 2l, which is fast upon the sleeve 22, causessueh sleeve 22 'to rotate in a clock-wise direction, whereon the cam surfaces 2e on the end of -suclr sleeve ride uponthe cam surfaces 25 on the stationary member 26 and impart an axial movementtothe sleeve.` in the direction towards thedrivingclutch member I 8. At the same time the finger 33 moves the arm 38 of the threel armed lever 3l, 32, 38l against the-pressure of the spring (ill,v to lift the brake-block 35 on the free endefthearm 3 I. from engagement with the surface 31 ofthe driven ,clutch member 23.

The axial movement. ofv the sleeve 22 thus caused :brings theV Vfriction :lining 29, on the driven The sleeve 22 has cam faces 23 formed on the end face thereof remote from theclutch member 20 into contact with the surface 30 of the driving clutch member, the two clutch members then rotating together to drive the sewing machine or the like 4D through the V-belt 42 and pulley 4I. When the pressure on the pedal or other lever is relaxed, the springs 23 and 34 return the sleeve 22 and the pulley 20 from the positions shown in Figure 4, to the positions shown in Figure :L the pulleyY ZB beinggthus immediately brakedl bythe blockfSSforr the arm 3| as the driven clutch member 20 moves out of engagement with the driving clutch member I8.

Inoroler` to take up wear or to adjust the normal distance between the engaging faces of the driven` clutch member 20 and the driving clutch member IB,1 the squared end 43 of the spindle I3 is rotatedtofdi'aw'the spindle I3 towards the end I2 of the stationary member 9, an enlarged head 65.' onftlie other end oi the spindle drawing the driving clutch member I8 towards the driven clutch'member. 2,0: When'the distanoeibetween the-engagingiaces of thetwoclutch membersfhas been adjusted to the; desired-dimension; the flock', ingnut 44 is tightenedrito-hold thefsprldl'eql against rotation.

An outer casing-:A6 secured,l tothebencha 35 by screws 4?!- isfpreierably provided: to enclose: the improved transmission unit.-

Bymeans off the adjustable'mountinggoi the memb er il inthe.v guideway: 8 formed :in .the Harige l ofthe bracket 4, it willfbefappreciatedfthat the distance of thetransmission .unit/as awholebeneath the bench. 3-may be varied asfdesired in order to` adjust the tensionv in I the. Vwbeltse' con-v necting .respectively lthe driving: pulley.V I 1 onL the lineshaft I. with;thefdriving;clutchrneirrber.r I8 andithe pulleyV lil of the. sewing. machines or-the like 4 t with the. driven. .clutch `membereZlr .Similarly, by reason .ofthemountingoi thefbaseplate upon the bench. 3`through-fthe bolts 5l passing through the. elongated.slots` EY in. such. bracket, the transmissiomunitimay. be moved asga whole either backwards. or .forwards with respectlto. the line shaft Iin order to.V provide for, adjustment oftlie V-belt drivebetween thetransmissibn unit andjthe. linevsliaft..

I'claim: Y

1. A drive. transmission..unit-.foiz'the purposes set forth, comprising. al driving. clutch; member rotatably mountedv on a spindle. andincludinga pulleyA whereby such.. clutch member, is., driven from a main or line shaft, a sleeveaxially movable upon the spindle,l a` driven... clutch. .member rotatably mounted ont. thesleeve andspaced i rom the. driving clutchmembenan operating lever fast. upon such.sleeve,.a memberv fixeduwithre.- spect to saidv spindle, andloam'means...between such sleeve. and .fixed 'member whereby ,rotational movement 0f. the. sleeve..impartedybythe operating. lever. imparts axial movement to thefsleeveto bringrthe clutch membersinto drivingengage ment. Y

2. A transmission unit according toelaim 1, wherein the clutchmembersare disengagedluppn release of the operatinglever and brake'means associated withAV the axially movable,y sleeve are brought into engagementwitlr the drivenclutch member simultaneously" with the disengagement of the-.clutch members;

corresponding cam face formed in the xed member.

5. A transmission unit according to claim 1, wherein a three-armed lever is pivotally mounted in the iixed member, and normally .presses a brake block on the free end of one arm of the lever against a brake surface provided upon the driven clutch member by the action of spring means against the free end of another ofthe arms of such lever.

6. A transmission unit according to claim 5, wherein the third arm of the three-armed lever is engaged by a finger provided upon the operating lever to rock the three-armed lever upon its pivot to bring the brake-block out of engagement with the brake surface on the driven clutch member.

7. A transmission unit according to claim 5, wherein the xed member, whereon is pivoted the three-armed lever and whereon are formed the cam surfaces to coact with the cam surfaces on the end of the axially movable sleeve, is adjustably mounted in a bracket whereby the transmission unit as a whole is adapted to be mounted upon a sewing machine bench.

8. A transmission unit according to claim 1, wherein adjustment of the `distance between the engaging faces of the two clutch members is provided.

9. A transmission unit according to claim 8. wherein such adjustment is obtained by axial movement of the spindle on which the driving clutch member is mounted within its support in the fixed member.

10. A transmission unit according to claim 1, wherein elongated slots are provided in a part of a bracket whereby the transmission unit is held upon a bench, so as to provide variation in the eiective distance between the driving clutch member of the unit and the line shaft.

GEORGE EDMUND JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

- UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 967,331 Covell Aug. 16, 1910 1,147,377 Corrall July 20, 1915 1,196,469 Merritt Aug. 29, 1916 1,962,715 Heilman June 12, 1934 2,068,929 Peets Jan. 26, 1937 2,332,862 LeTourneau Oct. 26, 1943' 

